Joseph geamee



(No Model.)

J. GRAMER.

MUSIC RACK FOR PIANOS. No. 314,375. Patented Mar. 24, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE,

JOSEPH GBAMER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO OBRIN A. KIMBALL, OF SAME PLACE.

MUSIC-RACK FOR PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 314,375, dated March 24, 1885.

Application filed June 18, 1884.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH GRAMER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Music-Desks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to improvements in desks or racks for holding a sheet or book of music for upright pianofortes.

My invention is also applicable to any portable or other musiestand having a vertical support or back to which the desk may be hinged.

The object of my invention is to provide means for retaining the 1nusic-raek in an open or closed position, as desired.

To this end my invention consists in the con1- bination, with a vertical support, such as the front frame of an upright piano, of a music rack hinged thereto near its upper edge, and

jointed togglearms between the lower part of the rack and its vertical support,whereby the rack may be retained by a spring controlling the toggle-arms in either an open or closed position, as hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate so much of an upright piano as is deemed necessary to show my invention, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of an upright piano with my improved musicrack attached. Fig. 2 shows the rack in its closed position, and Fig. 3 shows it in its open position.

A represents the front frame or the part of an upright piano above the key-board; B, the music-rack, and bits supportingledge. The

rack is hinged at or near its upper edge to the vertical support A. A pair of toggle-arms, b 12 are hinged together, and one of them, I), is jointed to rack B, the other, 6 to the vertical (No model.)

supportA. They are controlled by the spring I), which is fast to b", and bears on the end of b. The spring b operates in a manner too well known to require further description.

I am aware that the lid of a trunk or desk is sometimes supported by a pair of togglearms, and also that the blade and handle of a knife are hinged together and controlled by a spring; but the combination of the togglearms I) b and spring I) with a music-rack or the like hinged near its upper edge to a vertical support is new'with me, so far as I know, and operates in a new way to produce a result hitherto unattaincd, for my rack will support the heaviest music-book, and yet is readily opened and closed, and is always held so that it cannot rattle, which is a very important feature. Moreover, it is very compact and simple, not liable to get out of order, and can be moved out or in by a pull or push. The togglearms should be so arranged that they will not be at an angle of much over ninety degrees, as otherwise the force of the push required to close the rack will be objectionable. As the weight of the music-book acts mainly in a vertical direction, it will be seen that the toggle-arms b If and spring I) may be abundantly strong to prevent the rack from being moved by the weight of the music-book, and yet have it easy to be closed by a push or force which is applied nearly longitudinally.

What I claim as my invention is- In combination, the vertical support A, pendent rack B, hinged near its upper edge, toggle-arms b b, and spring 1), arranged be tween the support A and rack B, and near the lower part of rack B, all as and for the purpose set forth.

JOSEPH GRAlYTER. lVituesses:

XV. A. COPELAND, JOHN R. SNow. 

